James Norton has been pictured for the first time as MI5 conman Robert Hendy-Freegard as filming got under way for the biopic titled Freegard in Dover on Wednesday.
The actor, 35, transformed into the British car salesman, who masqueraded as an MI5 agent and swindled thousands of pounds out of his victims and even fooled several people to go underground for fear of IRA assassination.
James was joined by his on-screen co-star Gemma Arterton, also 35, who plays the woman who helped expose Freegard’s crimes which ultimately led to his arrest- after initially falling for his charm.
Action! James Norton has been pictured for the first time as MI5 conman Robert Hendy-Freegard as filming got under way with his co-star Gemma Arterton for the biopic titled Freegard in Dover on Wednesday
James got into character as the conman as he slicked his hair back and donned a white shirt which he left partially unbuttoned.
Gemma, meanwhile, cut a stylish figure in a knitted brown vest top and sage green cargo trousers. She donned a pair of cat eye sunglasses and wore her hair in a half-up, half-down do.
The co-stars shared a laugh as the wardrobe and make-up department did their final finishing touches before filming began.
Driving in a red Ferrari: James was joined by his Gemma, also 35, who plays the woman who helped expose Freegard’s crimes which ultimately led to his arrest, after initially falling for his charm
Criminal mastermind: Between 1993 and 2003 the car salesman (pictured left in 2005, James right portraying him) convinced a series of victims he was an undercover MI5 agent and they were IRA targets because they knew him
Off they go: James and Gemma were then spotted filming scenes in a vintage red Ferrari. The actor’s character Robert used over £1million from his victims to splurge on luxury cars as he lived out his James Bond fantasy
James and Gemma were then spotted filming scenes in a vintage red Ferrari. The actor’s character Robert used over £1million from his victims to splurge on luxury cars as he lived out his James Bond fantasy.
Over time he bought himself seven BMWs as well as an £80,000 Aston Martin Volante, Rolex watches and Savile Row suits.
Also starring in the film are Shazad Latif (Star Trek Discovery) Marisa Abela (Industry), Edwina Findley (The Wire), and Julian Barratt (The Mighty Boosh).
Good spirits: The co-stars shared a laugh as the wardrobe and make-up department did their final finishing touches before filming began
Production began in London last month, with Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn directing the script by Michael Bronner (The Mauritanian), Patterson and Lawn (The Salisbury Poisonings).
Deadline reports the film is based upon the article Chasing Agent Freegard by Bronner.
Night Train CEO Herbert Kloiber told the publication of the company’s first narrative feature: ‘We are incredibly excited to start our expansion into feature films with this incredible project and group of individuals. Everyone loves a compelling true crime con-artist story and I believe this one can become an instant classic.’
Exciting: Production began in London last month, with Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn directing the script by Michael Bronner (The Mauritanian), Patterson and Lawn (The Salisbury Poisonings)
Between 1993 and 2003 the car salesman convinced a series of highly respectable victims he was an undercover MI5 agent and they were IRA targets because they knew him.
Several of his victims lived in hiding for years on end. All of them ended up giving him money – £1 million he spent living out his James Bond fantasy of fast cars, luxury holidays and expensive clothes.
The conman – whose motto was ‘lies have to be big to be convincing’ – first struck in Newport, Shropshire, where wealthy farmer’s son John Atkinson and his then-girlfriend Sarah Smith fell under his spell.
In April 1993 Hendy-Freegard suddenly announced his MI5 ‘cover was blown’ and all three went ‘on the run’, carrying out bizarre ‘missions’ across the country before they moved into a rented ‘safe-house’ in Sheffield.
Farmer John- who let Hendy-Freegard beat him in order to ‘toughen him up’ – was ordered to get a job as a barman and John’s girlfriend Sarah had to work in a chip shop.
They gave their wages straight to their tormentor, leaving them virtually nothing to live on. Sarah became so hungry she even resorted to eating left over chip batter.
Like all his victims, the friends were also forced to obtain money for him from their families: money Hendy-Freegard spent on living out his James Bond fantasy.
As he became more confident, the would-be super-spy controlled up to five victims at a time, keeping them in various ‘safe houses’ around the country and using a mixture of charm and menace to keep them under his spell.
Shocking true story: Several of Robert’s victims lived in hiding for years on end. All of them ended up giving him money – £1 million he spent living out his James Bond fantasy of fast cars, luxury holidays and expensive clothes
Scary: All had to carry out bizarre tasks which he told them were ‘tests’ set by their supposed ‘spymasters’. One had to survive on rations of one Mars bar per week; another walked 110 miles for a meeting with a non-existent ‘MI5 contact’
All had to carry out bizarre tasks which he told them were ‘tests’ set by their supposed ‘spymasters’.
One had to survive on rations of one Mars bar per week; another walked 110 miles for a meeting with a non-existent ‘MI5 contact’ and a third had to live for week in a motorway service station on just £10.
In June 2005, Hendy-Freegard of Blyth, Nottinghamshire was convicted of ten counts of theft, eight of procuring money by deception and two of kidnapping.
Two years later he was cleared of two counts of kidnap on a legal technicality to the outrage of his victims. His life sentence was revoked but Robert still served nine years for the other offences.
Jailed: In June 2005, Hendy-Freegard of Blyth, Nottinghamshire was convicted of ten counts of theft, eight of procuring money by deception and two of kidnapping. Two years later he was was cleared of two counts of kidnap on a legal technicality